Air circulating wheel structure



July 18, 1961 G. A. LYON 2,992,708

AIR CIRCULATING WHEEL STRUCTURE Original Filed Jan. 14, 1954 he 2212.2"George A/berf Lyon Unite States Patent 2,992,708 AIR CIRCULATING WHEELSTRUCTURE George Albert Lyon, 13881 W. Chicago 'Blvd., Detroit 28, Mich.

Original application Jan. 14, 1954, Ser. No. 404,021, now Patent No.2,885,038, dated May 5, 1959. Divided and this application July 30,1958, Ser. No. 752,012

6 Claims. (Cl. 188-264) The present invention relates to improvements inwheel structures and more particularly concerns such structuresproviding for circulation of air therethrough for brake drum cooling.

The present application is a division of my application Serial No.404,021 filed January 14, 1954, now Patent No. 2,885,038.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved wheelstructure having brake drum cooling air circulation openingstherethrough and with a cover for the outer side of the wheel retainedthereon in a manner which is in keeping with the desirability foreffective air circulation through the wheel.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved wheelstructure wherein the wheel and a cover therefor have novel retainingspring fingers means and coactive shoulder means on the wheel enablingeflicient press-on, pry-off application and removal of the cover.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a wheel structure acover arrangement which will substantially entirely cover the outer sideof the wheel but is provided with openings through which dirt and gravelentering behind the cover through the wheel openings may escape, as wellas to improve the air circulation through the wheel for brake drumcooling.

Still another object of the invention is to provide improved retainingshoulder and retaining finger cooperation between a wheel body and acover for disposition over the outer side of the wheel.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will bereadily apparent from the following detailed description of certainpreferred embodiments thereof, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a wheel structureembodying features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary radial sectional detail view takensubstantially on the line IIII of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary rear view of a portion of the cover of FIGURES1 and 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary radial sectional detail view through a wheeland cover assembly, taken substantially in the same plane as FIGURE 2but showing a modification; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary rear elevational view the cover of FIGURE 4.

Having reference to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, a wheel cover 10 is constructedand arranged to be applied over the outer side of a vehicle wheel suchas an automobile wheel including a wheel body 11 and a drop center,multi-flange tire rim 12 having at juncture of the wheel body and tirerim a plurality such as four wheel openings 13 through which air isadapted to circulate for cooling a brake drum wit-h which the wheel isassociated in service in the customary manner and which brake drum isindicated by the broken line D in FIGURE 2. The tire rim 12 includes anintermediate flange 14 and a terminal flange 15 and is adapted tosupport a pneumatic tire 17.

Herein the wheel body 11 is provided with an annular generally axiallyoutwardly projecting nose bulge 18 having a rather abrupt radiallyinwardly facing radially inner 2,992,708 Patented July 18, 1961 annularshoulder flange portion 19 of substantial axial width. This radiallyinwardly facing flange portion provides means for cover retainingengagement with retaining means on the cover 10. To this end, the covercomprises an inner or central crown portion 20 for overlying the centralportion of the wheel and joining in generally divergent relation with agenerally radially and axially outwardly directed outer annular coverportion 21 divided into a series of generally radially extending spokeribs 22 and intervening openings 23. At their radially inner ends thespoke ribs 22 join the central cover portion or crown 20 and at theirradially outer ends the spoke ribs merge with an annular continuousreinforcing marginal portion 24 of the cover including an underturnedterminal 25 which in assembly with the wheel is adapted to overlie theradially inner portion of the terminal flange 1-5. It will be observedthat the openings 23 in the cover lie opposite the wheel openings 13 forair circulation purposes.

Juncture of the crown portion 20 and the outer divergent portion 21 ofthe cover is on a generally axially inwardly directed annularreinforcing rib 27. Joined to this rib and to the radially inner endportions of the spoke ribs 22 is a series of generally axially inwardlyprojecting cover retaining resilient fingers 28 derived from materialstruck from the openings 23 and extending generally as extensions fromthe adjacent edge of the crown 20 of the cover. Each of the fingers 28has a short and stiff generally radially and axially outwardly directedcover retaining terminal 29 which normally extends to a slightly greaterdiameter than the engaged diameter of the wheel body shoulder flange 19.Thereby, upon pressing the cover axially inwardly into position on thewheel, the retaining fingers 28 will be resiliently tensioned as theyare flexed radially inwardly as the tips of the retaining terminals 29cam axiallyinwardly and radially inwardly along the generally radiallyinwardly and axially inwardly sloping surface of the flange 19.

It will be observed that at juncture of the retaining fingers 28 withthe cover body there is provided in each instance a stiff reinforcingrib juncture 30 so that the fingers are backed up by the rigid junctureto enter into firm resiliently tensioned gripping engagement with thewheel flange 19. In the fully assembled relation of the cover with theouter side of the wheel either the radially inner end portions of thespoke ribs 22 may engage the crown of the nose bulge 18 of the wheelbody, or the underturned reinforcing and finishing flange 25 of theradially outer marginal portion 24 of the cover may engage against thetire rim to determine the axially inward disposition of the cover on thewheel.

A valve stem 31 projecting from the tire rim is accessible through oneof the openings 23 in the cover.

In order to remove the cover from the wheel, a pryoff tool may beinserted either behind the outer edge 25 of the cover or behind theradially inner portion of one of the rigid reinforced spoke ribs 22 withleverage applied against the crown of the nose bulge 18 of the wheelbody.

In the modification of FIGURES 4 and 5, a cover 32 is applied over theouter side of a wheel comprising a wheel body 33 and a tire rim 34,wheel openings 35 being provided at juncture of the wheel body with thetire nm.

The cover 32 comprises a central cover port-ion or crown 37 joining on agenerally convex-concave annular axially inwardly extending rib-likedished portion 38 with a radially outer annular marginal cover portion39 which terminates in an underturned reinforcing and finishing head 40which in assembly is arranged to be disposed in spaced relation to theterminal flange of the tire rim 34.

The intermediate inwardly dished cover portion 38 is arranged to lie inassembly with the wheel opposite the juncture between the wheel body andthe tire rim and thus opposite the wheel openings 35. In the presentinstance, the dished intermediate portion 38 of the cover is providedwith a series of annularly disposed and spaced openings 41 which arepreferably of a generally quadrangular form defined by continuousgenerally axially inwardly directed respective reinforcing flanges 42which at the radially inner and outer ends of the openings extendsubstantially as continuations of the crown portion 37 and the outerannular portion 39, respectively. It will be observed that the openings41 are opposite the wheel openings 35 and thus promote air circulationtherethrough.

At the radially inner portions of the openings 41, the reinforcingflanges 42 are extended generally axially inwardly to provide coverretaining fingers 43 having short and stiff generally radially inwardlyand axially outwardly directed oblique terminals 44 which are engageablein retaining gripping relation with the radially outwardly facingsurface of a generally axially extending flange portion 45 disposed atthe radially outer side of a central portion of the wheel body 33adjacent to the wheel openings 35.

It will be appreciated that the retaining terminals 44 normally extendto a diameter smaller than the diameter of the outer face of the wheelbody flange 45 so that as the cover is pressed inwardly onto the wheel,the fingers 43 will be flexed generally radially outwardly and thussubstantially resiliently tensioned, as backed up by the flange 42 ineach instance and a juncture rib 47 where the fingers 43 join the wheelcover body 37. In the final assembly, the wheel cover engages againstthe wheel body at 48, namely adjacent to juncture of the wheel flange 45with the axially outwardly projecting portion of the wheel body.Thereby, the radially outer portion 39 of the cover is held in spacedrelation to the tire rim which it substantially covers and therefore, inaddition to escape permitted for dirt through the openings 41, as wellas air circulation, a gap between the cover and the tire rim is affordedfor air circulation and the escape of dirt or gravel.

Removal of the cover 32 from the wheel may be effected by applying apry-off tool such as a screwdriver or the like behind the outer marginof the cover and levering the pry-off tool against the tire rim tothereby apply axially outward pry-ofl force to the outer margin of thecover and thus effect sliding dislodgment of the finger terminals 44from the wheel flange portion 45.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention.

I claim as my inventionf 1. In a wheel structure including a wheel bodysupporting a tire rim and having air circulation openings at juncturewith the rim, the wheel body having a generally radially facing annularand generally axially extending flange portion spaced radially inwardlyfrom the wheel openings, a cover for disposition over the outer side ofthe wheel including an intermediate generally dished portion foroverlying juncture of the wheel body and tire rim and having an annularseries of generally radially extending openings therethrough overlyingthe wheel openings in air circulation relation and defined at theirradially inner ends by axially inwardly extending retaining fingersderived from material struck from the openings, said fingers joining thecover on reinforcing shoulders and having at their axially inner endscover retaining terminals engageable in resilient press-on, pry-ofl?relation retainingly with the wheel body flange portion.

2. A wheel structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the openings aredefined by axially inwardly extending reinforcing flanges and theretaining fingers comprise extensions of said flanges.

3. In a wheel structure including a wheel body and a tire rim supportedthereby and having openings for air circulation at juncture of the wheelbody with the tire rim, the wheel body having thereon spaced radiallyinwardly adjacent to the wheel openings a generally radially outwardlyfacing and axially extending annular shoulder flange portion, a coverfor disposition over the outer side of the wheel including a circularcover portion for overlying the juncture between the wheel body and thetire rim and having openings through said portion with material struckfrom the openings formed into generally axially inwardly extending coverretaining fingers, and said retaining fingers having terminals thatproject generally radially inwardly into engagement with said wheel bodyshoulder flange.

4. In a wheel structure including a wheel body and a tire rim supportedthereby and having openings for air circulation at juncture of the wheelbody with the tire rim, the wheel body having thereon spaced radiallyinwardly but adjacent to the wheel openings a generally radially facingand axially extending annular shoulder flange portion, a cover fordisposition over the outer side of the wheel including a circular coverportion for overlying the wheel body and the tire rim and havingopenings therethrough separated by generally radially extending spokeportions, material struck from the openings being formed into generallyaxially inwardly extending cover retaining fingers retainingly engagingin press-on, pry-off relation with said wheel body shoulder flangeportion, said spokes and cover openings overlying the wheel bodyadjacent to said Wheel openings as well as overlying the wheel openingsand the adjacent part of the tire rim whereby to facilitate aircirculation through the wheel openings and the cover openings.

5. A wheel structure as defined in claim 11 wherein said wheel shoulderflange portion is provided on the radially inner side of an annularaxially outwardly projecting narrow nose bulge which is locatedimmediately contiguous the wheel openings, the retaining fingers havingterminals thereon that project generally radially outwardly forengagement with said wheel shoulder flange portion, said spokesoverlying the nose bulge.

6. In a wheel structure including a tire rim and a wheel body suppoitingthe same, the wheel body being provided adjacent juncture with the tirerim with a generally axially extending and radially outwardly facingshoulder flange, a cover member for disposition over the outer side ofthe wheel and having thereon a plurality of circumferentially spacedgenerally axially inwardly extending resilient retaining fingersradially resiliently flexible and having terminals thereon projectinggenerally radially inwardly normally to a smaller diameter than saidbody shoulder flange and engaging in retaining gripping relation withsaid shoulder flange under radially outwardly deflected resilienttensioning of the retaining fingers.

' References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

